Bio

Known as a winner everywhere he played, former two-time JUCO World Series winning baseball player Sam Scott was inducted into Cowley College’s Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

Scott grew up in Leawood, KS and was an all-conference baseball and football player at Blue Valley High School in Stilwell, KS. Through the persistence of then Cowley assistant baseball coach, Scott Hennessey, and the desire to play for Dave and Darren Burroughs, Scott ended up signing to play baseball for the Tigers.

Scott ended up as a starting second baseman and middle of the order type hitter on Cowley’s back-to-back World Series winning baseball teams. He was named a pre-season NJCAA All-American his sophomore year and was selected to the NJCAA World Series All-Tournament Team his freshman year in Grand Junction, CO. Cowley went 107-20 during his two years at the school. Scott said there were several factors in the Tigers capturing back-to-back World Series titles.

“While we had some talent, there was a unique chemistry between the players,” Scott said. “Partly because of our preparation leading up to the games, we were stubbornly determined to compete. I think there was a unique mix of guys who had something to prove or who had a chip on their shoulder. My personal favorite was that nobody gave us much credit because we were from Kansas and everyone knows that if you aren’t from Florida, Texas or Arizona, you can’t play with the big boys. After winning back-to-back titles, there were less people that thought that way.”

The bonds Scott and his teammates shared were forged through fall practices and off-season conditioning programs. Scott credits Dave and Darren Burroughs with helping him learn life lessons.

“I know I am speaking for many of my past teammates, but I am forever indebted to those gentlemen for what they have taught me, both on and off the baseball field,” Scott said.

When Scott came to Cowley he had the goal of becoming a better player and having the opportunity to transfer to a four-year school with warm weather. He achieved that goal as his stellar play led to him signing to play at national powerhouse Florida State University. During his junior year, Florida State was ranked No. 1 for more weeks than any other team. The Seminoles advanced all the way to the title game before losing in the finals of the College World Series in 1999 to Miami. During the tournament, Scott batted clean up for the Seminoles and made the All-College World Series team. On the season, Scott batted .320 with 12 home runs and 39 runs batted in. He also posted a .451 on base percentage.

Over the course of one calendar year, Scott played in the three national title games as along with helping Cowley to the JUCO World Series title; he was a member of the El Dorado Broncos NBC title winning team and part of the Florida State University national runner-up squad.

“He is the description of a winner,” Dave Burroughs said. “He was a great player but an even better person. I can’t say enough about him.”

Scott shared the story of legendary Florida State University baseball coach Mike Martin approaching him after his first couple of weeks of practice. “Coach came up to me and said, “Some of these guys are pretty good, aren’t they? Sure beats junior college ball in Kansas.”

Somewhat taken back by the comment, I paused for a moment and said, if we could combine the teams from my two years at Cowley, we’d probably take two out of three from us. The look on his face confirmed that this was not the answer he was looking for, and it was safe to say that I was not his favorite after that. But to this day, I think it is true.”

Scott decided to leave FSU after his junior year for better opportunities in baseball and in academics. The head coach at Rice was an ex-major league third baseman, and Scott had been drafted by the New York Mets as a third baseman following his freshman year at Cowley. Unfortunately, Scott was injured in the first tournament of his senior year and missed the majority of the season.

With his baseball playing days behind him, Scott recently married his wife Audrey in October and the couple resides with their dog, Pesto, in Overland Park, KS. His former Tiger teammate, Lucas Hocker, served as his best man at the wedding.

Scott is the President of Sunrise Advisors, a wealth management firm based in the Kansas City area. He will become the fifth former Tiger to play for Burroughs to be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame.

“He is the model for a baseball player, citizen and alumni,” Burroughs said. “He is extremely deserving of this honor and I could not be more proud of him.”

Scott is humbled to be going into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame and credits his father, Dave, with helping him work towards his dreams.

“Cowley was a place that will always hold an extremely special place in my heart,” Scott said. “Many of my fondest memories were created through the experiences at the school and with the amazing people I was fortunate enough to meet there.”